Universal joint.



E. P. EDWARDS.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22,1914.

1,150,858 Paten tedAug. 24,1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

W/ T/VE SSE S E. P. EDWARDS.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22| 1914.

1 1 50, 5 3 Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

v are EUGENE P. EDWARDS, or PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'ro. HIMSELF AND ONE-HALF r A. sense, or PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEYL.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE P. EDWARDS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improve-.

ment in UniversalJoints, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a universal joint and is an improvement upon the construction of the universal joint shownv and described in Letters;Patent No. 1,098,101,

' granted to me .May 26, 1914.

- The universal joint made in accordance with my present invention, likethat shown and described in the Letters Patent aforesaid, comprises a' socket member connected to a shaft end and adapted to receive a spherical member, to which a second shaft end is secured, together with means for turning one shaft end through the revoluble movement imparted .tov the socket by the other shaft end. In carrying out my pres,

,ent invention, however, I also employ a hardened steel bearing, through which the motion is transmitted, a dust proof cap, to

prevent the accumulation of dust and grit within the joint, and also suitable retainers for the ball bearings, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a' side elevation of my improved universal joint. Fig. 2

is a section on line 2, 2, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a longitudinal section on line 3, 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation, with the annular socket member removed. Fig. 5is a partial longitudinal section on line 5, 5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one 70f the 1s a that the universal joint made in accordance with my present invention comprises a socket member 10, to which is suitably secured a sleeve or shaft end, indicated at 11, which is adapted to be driven.

As indicated, the socket ismade integral in lieu Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 241, 1915.,

Application filed August 22, 1914. Serial No. 858,017.

may be so constructed or these parts may be made separately and suitably connected. The semi-spherical socket member 10 is pro with the sleeve, but as will be understood,

vided with a flange 12, one face-of which is recessed for a purpose, which will hereincontact with the adjacent member of the joint. I also employ an annular socket member 18. This is provided with a flange 19 adapted to fit into the recessed portion of the flange 12 of the socket member 10, and these parts are suitably connected by screws on bolts passing through: holes provided therefor in the flange l9, and into or through the corresponding holes 20 in the flange 12.

Also, as indicated, I may employ a washer 21 between the flanges 12 and Y19. The annular socket'membe'r 18 is provided with re cesses 22 and 23, interiorly thereof, and these recesses are similar in all respects to the recesses 13 and 14, in the socket member 10, and when the parts are in position the recess 22 alines with the recess 13, and the and contain the bearings. Interiorly, the.

annular socket member-"18 is alsoprovided with circular recesses 29, adapted to receive ball retainers 30, in whichthere are bearmg balls 31. These parts are similar in all respects to the corresponding members hereinbefore described in connection w1th the sem l I I spherical socket member 10. My improved joint also comprises a second shaft end 32, at one extremity of which is a spherical head 33, adapted to be received within the said socket members. A pin 34 passes through and is suitably secured in the spherical head 33, with the ends of the pin projecting appreciably beyond the surface of the head at diametrically opposite points. As illus trated in Figs. 3 and 7, rollers 35 are fitted to turn on the extremities of the pin 34:, and

to contact with and roll against the inner faces of the side members 26 and 27, of the bearings 24:, with which the roller is associated. As is indicated in Fig. 8, however,

in lieu of rollers 35. I may employ slidable members 36, the opposite sides of which are parallel, and v the respective ends rounded, the width of the slidable member being approximately that of the distance between the innner faces of the side members 26 and 27 of the bearings 2l,with which it is employed.

The annular socket member 18 is exteriorly screw threaded, as indicated at 37, being thereby adapted to receive a cap 38, provided with an internal flange 39. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the walls defining the aperture in the annular socket member 18, through which the shaft 32 passes, diverge, and the internal flange 39 of the cap 38 tapers at the same angle. The position of the flange is such that there is an appreciable space between its inner surface and the adjacent surface of the wall defining the aperture in the annular socket member. Withinthis space, I employ a packing washer 40, the extremity of which is passed over the end of the internal flange 39 and caused to bear against the surface of the spherical head 33, in order to prevent dust and grit from entering the joint, it being. manifest that the tighter the cap 38 is turned down on the annular socket member, the greater friction there will .be between the packing washer and the spherical head, and the less likelihood of dust or grit entering the joint through the necessary opening in the annu: lar socket. j I 1 It will be undestood that the washer 40 may be made of felt, or other similar mate rial, suitable for this purpose.

I claim as my invention:

1. A universal joint comprising a shaft end, a socket member secured thereto, an

annular socket member attached tothe aforesaid socket member, a second shaftend, a spherical head onv the said second shaft end fitting within the said socket members, means for transmitting rotary'motion from said head to said members, a cap secured to the said annular socket member and having a pa t which extends into the opening therein and lies parallel, in a spaced position,

to the walls defining said opening, and a 1 member lying partially within the space between a part of the said cap and the Wall defining the opening in the annular socket vmember and extending inwardly from the same sufiiciently far to bear against the sur face of the spherical head.

2. A universal joint comprising a shaft end, a socket member secured thereto, an

annular socket member attached to the aforesaid socketmember,a second shaft end, a spherical head on the said second shaft end fitting Within the said socket members,

means for transmitting rotary motion from said head to said members, a cap secured to 4 i the said annular socket member, and having I an internal flange extending into the opening in the annular "socket member so as to lie in a position spaced apart from the wall defining the said opening, and a washer of flexible material between the said internal flange and the wall defining the opening in the annular socket member and extending therefrom with itsinner end in contact with the spherical head.

3. A universal joint comprisinga shaft end, a socket member secured thereto, an annular socket member attached to the aforesaid socket member, a second shaft end,

a spherical head on the said second shaft end fitting within the said socket members, a pin extending through thesaid spherical head and projecting beyond the same at' diametrically opposite points, hardened bearings in the said socket members ,and. into recesses in which the projecting ends of] the said pin extend,a cap securedto the said. annular socket member, and having an internal flange extending into the opening in the annular socket memberso as to lie in fining the saidopening, and a washer of 'flexible, material between the said internal flange and the wall defining the opening in the annular socket member and extending therefrom with its inner end in contact with the spherical head.

4. A universal joint comprising a shaft end, a semi-spherical socket member secured thereto, an'annular socket member connected to the said semi-spherical socket member, a,second shaft end, a. spherical head fitting 1 within the said socket members and secured .of the said pin and adapted to fit and operate within its bearing and through which the rotary motion from'one shaft end is a position spaced apart from the wall de-- transmitted through the said socket members to the other shaft end, a cap adjustable to position on the annular socket member, and having a flange extending into the 0pening in the annular socket member and parallel with the Wall defining the same, and a Washer between the said flange and the wall defining the opening in the annular socket member and extending over-the edge of the said flange and in contact With the adjacent surface of the spherical head to exclude dust from the joint. 1 Signed by me this 15th day of August EUGENE P. EDWARDS. Witnesses: T. S. VAIL, E. THORP. 

